The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-05-13
Nislellallen1ls.
For Tie 4E,gis and InteHigencer.
A MissiOnary's Account of Alaska.

On Wednesday, April eth, the people of
Franklinville Presbyterian Church enjoyed
a very interesting address on Alaska and the
| Home Mission work there, by Rev. Sheldon
Jackson, d. ID Agent of Education and minis
ter of the Presbyterian Church. DR.. Jackson
has had opportunities for studying the Alas
kans, both rs missionary and as government
| official and he represents the country as
| possessing great natural resources. 1t is
onc-sixth the size ofthe United States, and
has vast tracts of uncut timber, rich mineral
deposits, great fur trade in seal and sea otter
and other skins, fish in the greatest abund-
ance for food, and the lMgcst mineral springs
in the world, some of them miles in extent
with .mpcrature on the southern coast like
some Of our Southern States And it is the
only territory which has paid an interest on
its purchase money. But for sixteen years,
Alaska was apparently forgotten by the
government, and when urged TO do some
thing for ii by the missionary they have dur
ing the last five years appropriated $4,000
for the education of the whole population.
The people have been allowed to remain
without law and without religion, though
they are not by any means n hopeless or
unintercsting people. Sorcery and witchcraft
are believed in and little girls and young and
old women are starved, drowned and put 10
death in many cruel ways if suspected ofthis
crime. A female child is sold or married as
soon as possible, and wien woaned taken to
| be raised in her husbands house or family
who may be man with several wives already
or an infant like herself, and q woman's con-
| dtiOn is so unbearable that the mothers frC-
quently murder the female infants and regret
that their mothers did not perform the same
office for them rather than let them live II
is common to kill several women slaves when
a house is built, so as to give their spirits to
the house; and if man is about to die he
sends out and has two female slaves killed to
go before him TO the spirit land and prepare
place for him and to wait on him when he
arrives for slavery is supposed to continue
even after death.
The people receive the missionary with
every demonstration of 10y, hosting their
flags and even firm! q cannon in one place,
so anxious are they to hear the message from
the Great Spirit" One instance, DR.. Jack
son relates, of a man dying on the floor of his
cabin, with Bible fixed in torked stake SO
he could look at it, and though he could not
read word of it, he said God had promised
him home in heaven in that book, and he
was asking Him not to forget His promise,
and lie died in faith of that promise.
Another, an old man, killed himself after
looking long time for the expected mission
airy to come One chief asked when some
one would be sent with the letter ofthe Great
Spirit to his tribe, and was told that they
could not do it sooner than 10 months, and
he sadly said fifteen moons that's a long
while, many ofmy people may die and go down
in dark before that time, without ever hearing
about Jesus Christ And for want of money
it was true that many did go down in the
dark before the gospel was sent to them, for
it was three years before any one could be
sent.
The first religious awakening in this far-off !
territory was through the instrumentality of
four young men from the English stations in
British America, members of the church of
England. They were in Alaska cutting tim
Der, and when Sabbath came they had n reli
gious meeting. stopping work and going to
their lodgings for this purpose) This arous-
ed the curiosity of the people, they wished TO
know the meaning of it and when it was ex-
planned to them they begged them to Stay |
and tell them all about it, and when the time
came for them to return and there was no |
one in all Alaska TO preach the gospel, these
Christian boys Qhey were little more than |
boys) agreed that three should 60 back to |
work and each contribute q fourth of what |
he earned to thesupport of"Claw," who was
to remain as missionary. This cannot fail, |
surely, TO awaken reflections in every Chris
tian heart.
The mission school at Sitka is doing wonder
full work and even if it were merely refuge |
for those who suffer persecution it has done
wonders, for two-thirds Of the school is COM
posed of wretched boys and girls, who have
come there to escape death or persecution of
various kinds. The boys are taught trade
and the girls to sew, cook, Sc, and given
Christian training and plain English cduca
ton, studying half the time, and then work
ing the remainder. One very interesting
boy is at present studying for the ministry |
at Mr.. Moody's school at Mortified, Mass. |
He was thrown into the Pacific ocean a mile
and a half from shore by his uncle tor beg
ging to be allowed to go to the mission school,
with the remark that he might go TO school |
fine could. And he did swim to shore and |
made his way TO the school, became Christ
ian and started at once to work among his |
own people, who wish him to preach to them.
He is now II years of age.
DR.. Jackson starts in few days for his re-
turn to Alaka, which will occupy months |
time, as he stops at Omaha, Nebraska, to at
tend the meeting of the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian Church in May.
BoXwooD.